Sync

While last week’s bearish storage report caught traders off guard, this week’s report of a 42 Bcf injection for the week ended July 22 was a little more in sync with expectations, especially considering last week’s oppressive heat and minor Gulf production shut-ins due to Hurricane Emily.

Unlike before, during and after the wholesale energy market implosion in the West when California energy stakeholders were out of sync with state policymakers, the state’s chief regulator this year sees a consensus forming through increased collaboration among all of the key players at both the federal and state levels.

Tennessee Gas Pipeline contends its tariff limitation onupstream capacity releases “neither frustrates nor hinders” thedrive towards competition in the retail natural gas market inMassachusetts, as a small LDC has claimed.

Recent decisions by FERC and Utah regulators involving theextent of their jurisdiction over the interstate transportationactivities of Questar Gas, a Utah-based LDC, don’t appear to becontradictory, say lawyers and company officials. In fact, the tworulings complement each other, particularly on the issue of states’authority over the interstate function of Hinshaw-exempt gasdistributors.

Recent decisions by FERC and Utah regulators involving theextent of their jurisdiction over the interstate transportationrole of Questar Gas, a Utah-based LDC, don’t appear to becontradictory, say lawyers and company officials.